Roll for plating tanks



April 12, 1966 R. F. LANE 3,245,897

ROLL FOR PLATING TANKS Filed Jan. 30, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. RICHARD E' LANE April 12, 1966 Filed Jan. 30, 1961 R. F. LANE ROLL FOR PLATING TANKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEWTOR Rlcmeo E LANA;

United States Patent r 3,245,897 ROLL FOR PLATING TANKS Richard F. Lane, 612 E. Main St., Titusville, Pa. Filed Jan. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 85,916 2 Claims. (Cl. 204-206) This invention relates to steel processing equipment and, more particularly, to rolls used in combination with steel processing equipment.

Originally, conductor rolls were furnished with a smooth surface which created tracking, slippage, and arcing problems. Shot blasted surfaces were then tried and, while tracking was improved and slippage lessened, arcing remained a problem, requiring the use of the polishing block or stick which became standard procedure and it was usually used at least once a day.

With the increased arcing which marked the strip and necessitated polishing the roll, the use of the polishing block became standard procedure. In the use of shot blasted rolls, therefore, while tracking and slippage were decreased, arcing was still a problem so it was evident that shot blasting was not the answer to the problem and, from the suppliers point of view, the rolls were more costly to furnish.

Previously, the trade was afraid to do anything to the roll surface since it would put a pattern on the strip. It has been discovered that a finish having a limited roughness will not mar the strip, yet will give many beneficial effects.

An attempt has been made to furnish a new finish for conductor rolls which has not lessened or minimized but has completely eliminated, to date, all arcing, slippage, and tracking problems previously encountered.

The finish on the rolls consist of a diamond pattern approximately one million diamonds on a twenty-four inch diameter roll, mechanically applied. This finish is rough enough to control tracking and slippage, approximately three hundred micro-inch finish, yet smooth enough to have good contact with the strip to eliminate arcing. Eighty-five percent or more of any given area of a roll is in contact with the corresponding given area of strip. This finish allows the even passage of current between the strip and the roll, overcomes the anti-frictional qualities of smooth hard chrome, and breaks the surface tensions of the solution.

The invention consists of finish for a conductor roll, the body of which is usually of copper and copper plated. A diamond, herringbone, or other pattern of lines is impressed into the copper surface by knurling or some similar process and a chrome plating is applied over the patterned copper surface.

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved roll for steel processing equipment and the like which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved finish on a roll in combination with a continuous steel processing line.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

3,245,8 9? Patented Apr. 12 5, 1966 ice In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a steel processing line of the type wherein rolls according to the invention are useful;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the diamond knurled system used on the surface of the roll shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 3 generally shows a roll such as used in a continuous line system shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows the front part of an electrolytic tin line in schematic form; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic view of the last part of an electrolytic tin line.

Now with more specific reference to the drawings, the diagram in FIG. 1 shows a horizontal acid line which will be familiar to those skilled in the art. It includes a coil holder 11 whereon a strip 12 of steel is supported. The strip 12 passes between pinch rolls 14 and to double cut shears 15. A second coil holder 17 is shown forward of the roll 14 and on it is a coiled strip 18.

The strips pass through a Welder 19 and thence to pinch rolls 20. The strips then pass to a cleaning tank 21, a scrubber 22, a pickle tank 23, and a scrubber 24.

The plating section is made up of a flash coat cell 25 followed by driers 26 and a refiow tower 27, a refiow washer 28, and a precision tension unit 29. The coiling section is made up of a drag bridle 30, a deflector roll 31, pinch rolls 32, snip shears 33, and reels 34 and 35.

The foregoing makes up a typical horizontal plating acid line arrangement. In this arrangement, any or all of the rolls at the several positions shown in the diagram could be made with knurled surfaces as shown in FIG. 2 and have the surface thereon such as shown in FIG. 3.

The rolls such as shown in 'FIG. 3 and used in the line such as shown in FIG. 1 may be made of steel, stainless steel, copper or Monel clad metal, Monel roll, nickel clad or plated metal, or rubber covered metal, depending on their position and function. According to the invention, the outside peripheral surfaces 37 of the rolls would be first turned, then polished, then knurled as shown in FIG. 2, and this knurled surface may be plated. The plated surface may then be polished to remove irregularities. The steps in preparing such a roll are:

(1) Turn roll to size;

(2) Polish the roll;

(3) Knurl the roll;

(4) Plate the roll, if metal, to protect against attack by acid; and

(5) Polish the plated roll.

If the roll is not to be plated, it may be polished after knurling. In the case of idler sink rolls, the knurl helps drive the roll and also helps the strip track on the roll and breaks up surface tension of solution.

Other knurled shapes than the diamond shape shown could be used as long' as the shapes are regular and uniform. The limits of roughness as read on a profilometer would be one hundred to five hundred micro-inches. The copper rolls may be plated with chromium or nickel. These materials have been found, when plated on copper, to not injure or mar the surface of the steel strip, yet giving positive drive and uniform tracking.

When current carrying rolls are made of copper as disclosed, there will be no arcing between the rolls and the strip. Further, the rolls will track better, will lessen slippage, eliminate the use of polishing blocks or sticks and, in general, reduce the cost of operation of a continuous line mill.

The knurled pattern 37 shown in FIG. 2 indicates diamond shaped raised portions 40 surrounding recessed diamond shaped areas 39. The roughness limits, when measured with a profilometer of the type shown in Patent Nos. 2,240,278 and 2,330,801, must be between one hundred and five hundred micro-inches in order to carry out the invention successfully and yet not mar the sheets but eliminate arcing and give good drive, tracking, etc. Since the roll disclosedis a smooth roll in that the knurls are uniform, yet is a rough roll since the surface is knurled no damage will be done to the surface of the strip, yet it will be held positively.

In the schematic views of the tin line shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, an electrolytic tin line tabulation of rolls is shown which will be familiar to those skilled in the art. The pinch roll unit has a bottom fixed roll A made of fiber and a hold down movable roll B made of rubber. The double cut shear with pinch rolls has a fixed fiber roll C, a movable rubber roll D, and a fiber deflector roll E. The double seam welder has a fiber deflector roll F. The second pin-ch roll unit has rubber rolls, G, H, K, M, and N. Instrument STD #1 has a rubber roll P and fiber rolls Q1 and Q2. The drag bridle has rubber rolls R, S, and T. A deflector roll U is made of rubber at the end of the cleaner.

The electrolytic cleaning unit has a copper chrome conducting roll V, a stainless steel sink roll W, and a rubber snubber roll Y.

A first vertical scrubber member has Monel backup rolls Z and AA, a hard pack canvas top exit roll AB, 2. Monel top exit roll AC, and a rubber top deflector roll AD. The first deflector roll unit at the entry end of the pickler has a rubber roll AE. The electrolytic pickling unit has a copper chrome roll AF, a rubber sink roll AG, a carrier roll AH, and snubber rolls AK1 and AK2.

The second vertical scrubber has a Monel bottom backup roll AM, a backup roll AN, a hard pack canvas top exit roll AP, a Monel top exit roll AQ, and a rubber top deflector roll AR.

The second deflector unit has a rubber top deflector roll AS and a bottom deflector roll AT.

The electrolytic plating unit has a chrome copper conductor roll AU, a rubber sink roll AV, and a rubber snubber roll AW.

The drag out recovery unit has a rubber carrier roll AY and sink rolls BA and BB. The drag out recovery unit also has a rubber snubber roll BC and a brass damming roll BD. This brass roll could be knurled.

The steam drier has a stainless steel chrome wringer roll BFI and a rubber wringer roll BF2.

Inspection rolls BG and BH are made of rubber. A deflector roll BK is made of rubber, a strip carrier roll BM is made of stainless steel, a melted coat unit roll BN is made of chrome copper, a melted coat unit roll BP is made of glass asbestos, a melted coat unit snubber roll BQ is made of rubber, and a melted coat unit squeegee roll BR is electrically insulated and made of hard pack canvas.

A deflector roll BS is made of rubber and a chemical treatment roll ET is made of chrome copper. A chemical treatment sink roll BU and a snubber roll BV are made of rubber.

A chemical spray rinse unit sink roll BW is made of rubber and a chemical spray rinse unit damming roll BY is made of brass.

A steam drier wringer roll CA1 is made of stainless chrome and a steam drier wringer roll CA2 is made of rubber.

Inspection roll CB is made of rubber. An emulsion oiler deflection roll CC is made of stainless steel; and emulsion oiler damming roll CD is made of brass, and an emulsion oiler squeegee roller CE is made of hard pack canvas.

Inspection roll CF and deflector roll CG are made of rubber and a grounded roll CH is made of stainless steel.

A strip carrier roll CK and drive bridle rolls CM and CN are made of rubber.

A deflector roll CP is made of rubber. Bypass belt conveyor belt carrier roll CQ, tail pulley CR1, drive pulley CS, deflector CR2, and take up CT1 are made of steel. Bypass belt conveyor snubber deflector roll CT2 is made of rubber.

Air crop shear carrier roll CI may be made of hard rubber. Instrument STD, carrier and hold down roll CV are made of hard rubber, and classifier head and tail pulley roll CW is made of cast iron. Vertical scrubber rolls AAl and AN1 are made of a nylon brush.

The foregoing discloses a typical installation of rolls according to the invention. The outside of each and every one of these rolls may be knurled according to the invention for the reasons set forth herein except the canvas rolls used for polishing.

Rolls B, D, K, N, Q1, R, AA1, AN1, AN, BQ, BQl, and CN may be made of 75 durometer rubber. Rolls A, E, C, F, G, H, M, P, Q2, U, W, Z, AA, AC, AD, AE, AG, AH, AM, AN, AR, AQ, AS, AT, AV, BA, AY, BB, BD, BF2, BG, BK, BP, BR, BS, BU, BW, BY, CA1, CA2, CB, CC, CD, CE, CF, CG, CK, CP, CR2, CU, and CV may be made of Plastroc covering.

Rolls Y, AK2, AK1, AW, and BV can be made of 65 durometer rubber.

While a diamond shaped knurl is shown, any pattern could be used on the hard rubber and on the metal roller wherein the apexes of the upstanding units are uniform and, preferably, there will be fifty to five hundred apexes per square inch. As mentioned above, the pattern can be put on hard rubber provided the rubber has a durometer of or greater.

In putting the knurled or patterned surface on the roll, it will be first polished, then knurled or the pattern otherwise put thereon. Next, the surface will be plated, when the roll is made of metal, to prevent attack by acid. It has been discovered that the following materials for rolls are suitable for use in accordance with the invention:

Hard rubber, copper, nickel, brass, Monel, chrome plated copper, steel, stainless steel, and other materials which can be knurled.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but it will be understood that the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. In a combination comprising electrolytic means for plating steel strips,

means for conveying said strips to said plating means,

said conveying means including a conductor roll adapted to be disposed in contact with said strips, an electric circuit,

the improvement in which said roll comprises a cylindrical body having the surface thereof composed of a regular pattern made up of raised portions separated by continuous interconnected grooves,

there being fifty to five hundred raised portions per square inch, the surface of said raised portions being smooth and having substantially the same radius of curvature throughout, I

the peripheral surface having an overall roughness limit of at least one hundred micro-inches, said electrical circuit being connected to said conductor roll and having means adapted to connect it to said stripsv whereby a current may flow through said roll and said strips.

2. In a combination comprising electrolytic means for plating steel strip,

means for conveying said strip to said plating means,

said conveying means including a conductor roll adapted to be in contact with said strip,

an electrical circuit,

the improvement which comprises said conductors roll having a generally cylindrical roll body having the surface thereof composed of a regular pattern made up of raised portions separated by continuous interconnected grooves,

the surface of said raised portions being smooth and having substantially the same radius of curvature throughout,

said grooves having a depth such as to give the surface an overall roughness of more than one hundred micro-inches as determined by a profilometer,

the material of said surface being taken from the group consisting of copper, nickel, Monel, chromium, and steel, said electrical circuit being connected to said conductor roll and having means adapted to connect it to said strip whereby a current may flow through said roll and said strip.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Adams 29-148.4

Cleveland 1911.1 Herchenrider.

Schaurte 29528 X King 29148.4 X Ingels 29-527 Kadell 2042 10 Chapman 29527 Smith 204206 Smith 204206 Lancy 20428 Palmer 1911.1 Owen 204207 JOHN H. MACK, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH REBOLD, JOHN R. SPECK, WINSTON A.

DOUGLAS, Examiners. 

2. IN A COMBINATION COMPRISING ELECTROLYTIC MEANS FOR PLATING STEEL STRIP, MEANS FOR CONVEYING SAID STRIP TO SAID PLATING MEANS, SAID CONVEYING MEANS INCLUDING A CONDUCTOR ROLL ADAPTED TO BE IN CONTACT WITH SAID STRIP, AN ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES SAID CONDUCTORS ROLL HAVING A GENERALLY CYLINDRICAL ROL BODY HAVING THE SURFACE THEREOF COMPOSED OF A REGULAR PATTERN MADE UP OF RAISED PORTIONS SEPARATED BY CONTINUOUS INTERCONNECTED GROOVES, THE SURFACE OF SAID RAISED PORTIONS BEING SMOOTH AND HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME RADIUS OF CURVATURE THROUGHOUT, SAID GROOVES HAVING A DEPTH SUCH AS TO GIVE THE SURFACE AN OVERALL ROUGHNESS OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED MICRO-INCHES AD DETERMINED BY A PROFILOMETER, THE MATERIAL OF SAID SURFACE BEING TAKEN FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF COPPER, NICKEL, MONEL, CHROMIUM, AND STEEL SAID ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT BEING CONNECTED TO SAID CONDUCTOR ROLL AND HAVING MEANS ADAPTED TO CONNECT IT TO SAID STRIP WHEREBY A CURRENT MAY FLOW THROUGH SAID ROLL AND SAID STRIP. 